David Bowie, whose incomparable sound and chameleon-like ability to reinvent himself made him a pop music fixture for more than four decades, has died. He was 69.

Bowie died Sunday after an 18-month battle with cancer, his publicist Steve Martin told CNN.

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“David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer,” said a statement posted on his official social media accounts. “While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”

Neither his publicist nor the statement elaborated on what type of cancer the singer had.

Bowie’s death has been the regular subject of Internet hoaxes for the last several years. So the news came as a shock to fans and industry insiders when it was confirmed.